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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

SXSW Kicks Off This Weekend

I've never been to Austin, but like most people, I've been bludgeoned over and over by the implication that everything is cooler in Austin. I can't speak for the veracity of this statement, but Austin does have that one huge festival/music conference each year—a little something called SXSW. The SXSW® Music and Media Conference runs from March 12–21 and features over 2,000 artists, bands, films, new media presentations, and panel discussions. There are over 80 stages in downtown Austin; a massive trade show; celebrity interviews; gamers, bloggers, widget inventors, and more. If you're an Austinite, this is either the coolest thing to happen to your city once a year, or the biggest headache.

Either way, there are going to be a ton of your favorite artists and bands down there and some new ones, too. The music festival starts on March 17 (St. Patrick's Day). Here's the schedule.

SXSW is an eclectic gathering with a little something for all: Motorhead (if you're so inclined) and Fanfarlo, Miike Snow and Frightened Rabbit, hip hop, metal, world, acoustic, electronic, folk, etc. The schedule is huge. I gave up on scrolling through the damn thing. Just assume that everyone I write about in this music blog will be there.

Question: Is this thing just a huge corporate sell-out? I ask because the website seems geared toward "the industry." Then again, what's the harm if people enjoy it, get to hear music, watch films, and have a good time?